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"Do you do EMDR?"
The number one question I get asked is whether I do EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprogramming), a trendy and widely-used treatment for PTSD. However, EMDR is not among the treatments strongly recommended by the American Psychological Association. In fact, EMDR is not recommended at all.
A proponent of the technique, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, concedes it is ineffective in dealing with traumas such as child abuse (an extremely common cause of PTSD). Like many trauma therapists, I follow APA recommendations and use techniques based on cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).
CBT for trauma needs to be trauma-informed
(linking to past trauma) rather than focused strictly on the present. You unlearn
the toxic messages from past trauma, and the effort can yield astonishing results--but it is time-consuming.
If you're looking for a fast-food
solution to PTSD, sorry, there isn't one.
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